September 24, 2017
Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 133
First Reading : IS 55:6-9
Psalms : PS 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18
First Reading : PHIL 1:20C-24, 27A
Second Reading :ACTS 16:14B
Gospel :MT 20:1-16A
Readings : http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/092417.cfm
Audio : http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/17_09_24.mp3
Let the scoundrel forsake his way,
and the wicked his thoughts;
let him turn to the LORD for mercy;
to our God, who is generous in forgiving.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
As high as the heavens are above the earth,
so high are my ways above your ways
and my thoughts above your thoughts.
Today’s readings talk about God’s goodness and love towards his people. Human has invented and researched many ways of life like Technology, Psychology. Management, Education. Science so on but I do not see people have researched the Ways of God or mind of God. Human thoughts and researches are Earthly and limited and temporary. We see no research or invention is of full truth. One researcher gives his idea and immediately the second researcher comes up with a better idea and proves the first one wrong or of half-truth and this business of in search of the truth going on from the Creation till today and will go on till the end of this earthly age. The real truth comes only from God and in his Word and Knowledge. This is called God’s ways. This is the reason Why people must believe that there is a God who takes care of us and loves us every day of our life. God was so merciful and revealed this truth through his Son Jesus Christ. This is being the message of Salvation the eternal life. This message of Salvation is the very ways of God which human cannot understand in his human knowledge but only through the divine intervention of the Holy Spirit. The people who have received or experience the Holy Spirit, the ways of God are revealed plainly and clearly.
St. Paul was a transformed person who was full of the Holy Spirit and who was fully in Christ in body, mind and spirit. His very purpose of living was Christ and he had already died in his whole life for Christ to live a new life for Christ. For a spirit filled Christian resurrected life with Jesus already starts in this World so the carnal or fleshly death does not make any meaning because for a person who is in Jesus, the life and death is Christ himself. Therefore, we see all people who lived and worked for the God’s ways or his Vineyard died in flesh for the Gospel truth. The World and it’s so called Scientists, philosophers, educated pundits all died with their Worldly inventions and researches without any hope of their evidence of life after death. Jesus Christ gave us a new teaching to overcome death and live forever by his Cross and resurrection. Those who imitate or put their faith in him, he gave the life-giving spirit to live forever. Jesus in today’s Gospel gives the message of God’s love, generosity, opportunity and invitation till last moment to every human to believe in his ways and walk in his ways and die in his ways. His ways lead to eternal life because Jesus himself is the Way, truth and life. These God’s ways are high above the Earth and not human ways and human minds cannot understand unless they possess the spirit of God. All Christians receive the Holy Spirit at the Baptism and at transformation but how many live in the spirit of truth. The people who work till the end of their life in the Gospel values by good conduct will be awarded with the wages of eternal life.
The equal wages to everyone gives a message of God’s love to each and every individual despite of his commitment, sacrifice, holiness, gifts and charisms, positions in Church of God. Jesus is the head and Salvation for all including Apostles, Saints, Christian families, Popes, Priests and religious, preachers and miracle makers, and the good thief at the Jesus Crucifixion. There is no reason to be of proud of our Spiritual positions but let us be proud and be privileged for the opportunity given by the Lord to work with him in his Vineyard the Church upon this earth and await our death in him alone to receive the Crown of glory the eternal life.
PRAYER REFLECTIONS 